Neural mechanisms of social cognition and bonding - NIH

The goal of this project is to investigate the interaction of the neurotransmitters glutamate and oxytocin in social cognition and social bonding in prairie voles. Prairie voles are an ideal animal model for investigating the brain mechanisms that regulate affiliative behavior and social bonding. The researchers hypothesize that enhanced oxytocin and glutamate signaling in the brain may be an effective treatment for the disruption in social cognition in psychiatric disorders such as autism.